Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 108 Part 1.djvu/173

 PUBLIC LAW 103-227—MAR. 31, 1994 108 STAT. 147 or demonstration projects to determine internationaly competitive standards and assessments, and may establish subject matter and other panels to advise the Council on particular content, student performance, and opportunity-to-learn standards and on State assessments; (3) establish cooperative arrangements with the National Skill Standards Board to promote the coordination of the development of content and student performance standards under this title with the development of skill standards under title V of this Act; (4) recommend studies to the Secretary that are necessary to carry out the Council's responsibilities; (5) inform the public about what constitutes high quality, internationaly competitive, content, student performance, and opportunity-to-leam standards, and State assessments; (6) on a regular basis, review and update criteria for certify- ing content, student performance, and opportunity-to-leam standards, and State assessments; and (7) periodically recertify, as appropriate, the voluntary national content standards, the voluntary national student performance standards, and the voluntary national opportunity- to-learn standards and the State assessments that the Council certifies under this section. (h) SPECIAL RULES. — (1) UNCONDITIONED STATE PARTICIPATION. —N O State shall be required to obtain certification of standards or assessments developed under subsection (b), (d), or (f) of this section or to participate in programs under title III of this Act, as a condition of participating in any Federal education program under this or any other Act. (2) CONSTRUCTION. —Nothing in this Act shall be construed to create a legally enforceable right for any person against a State, local educational agency, or school based on a standard or assessment certified by the Council or the criteria developed by the Council for such certification. SEC. 214. ANNUAL REPORTS. 20 USC 5844. Not later than one year after the date the Council concludes its first meeting, and in each succeeding year, the Council shall prepare and submit a report to the President, the Secretary, the appropriate committees of Congress, the Governor of each State, and the Goals Panel regarding its work. SEC. 215. POWERS OF THE COUNCIL. 20 USC 5845. (a) HEARINGS. — (1) IN GENERAL.— The Council shall, for the purpose of carrying out its responsibilities, conduct such hearings, sit and act at such times and places, take such testimony, and receive such evidence, as the Council considers appropriate. (2) LOCATION. —In carrying out this part, the Council shall conduct public hearings in different geographic areas of the United States, both urban and rural, to receive the reports, views, and analyses of a broad spectrum of experts and the public on the establishment of voluntan^ national content standards, voluntary national student performance standards, voluntary national opportunity-to-leam standards, and State assessments described in section 213(f).

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